Judicial Watch is suing Evanston for racial profiling

Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit in Evanston, Illinois, to prevent the city from paying black residents compensation.

“There is a right way and a wrong way to do it. So the correction must be corrected. So we have given this country a return to the past when someone was persecuted by the government, and we are trying to make that person whole,” said Michael Bekesha, senior attorney for Judicial Watch.

“The compensation programs that you see all over the country being talked about are not that. They just give money, usually to black people. And I mean that’s a problem,” he added.

Evanston will shell out $25,000 to 44 residents in compensation payments, the city’s Recovery Committee announced Thursday.

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Judicial Watch has filed a lawsuit against the compensation program for its use of race as an eligibility requirement. The program provides direct payments of $25,000 to Black residents and descendants of Black residents who lived in Evanston between the years 1919 and 1969. Evanston was the first US city pass a compensation planpromises $10 million over ten years to Black residents.

Judicial Watch represents five plaintiffs who claim the program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.

“Five people, but for the color of their skin, could get $25,000,” Bekesha said.

“The best outcome would be for a court to declare the policy unconstitutional, prohibit the city of Evanston from providing any further racial compensation payments, and terminate any non-black resident or descendant of a resident who, you know, would otherwise be eligible for compensation,” he added.

“The Equal Protection Clause is that the government cannot discriminate against citizens because of their race or gender or national origin. The government should not choose winners and losers based on factors that are completely different from whether someone is injured or not.”

CHICAGO MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON TAKES A JAB FROM CLARENCE THOMAS WHILE PROTECTING CITY JOBS.

Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that it is suing Evanston, Illinois to stop paying black residents compensation. (Getty Images)

“The city cannot comment because of the pending litigation,” an Evanston spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

So far, 137 people have received compensation payments amounting to $3.47 million, and more are expected by the end of the year, reaching 171 recipients with approximately $4 million allocated for administrative interest.

The payments are intended to cover housing costs, Evanston CEO Cynthia Vargas told the newspaper. Chicago Tribune.

Tasheik Kerr, assistant city manager, said at last week’s meeting that residents will be contacted in the coming weeks to let them know their payments are on track.

According to a city memo, the fund received $276,588 in Evanston’s real estate transfer tax. The committee discussed taxing Delta-8 THC products to maintain funding in the future. Alderman Krissie Harris agreed the tax won’t raise much revenue, although it will “help continue to move that amount forward” in the recovery process.

Since Jan. 31, the recovery fund has yet to receive charitable contributions and is supported primarily by marijuana sales and property tax revenue.

SAN FRANCISCO’S MAYOR SIGNS RECOVERY FUND THAT COULD RESULT IN PAYMENTS OF $5M EACH PERSON.

Evanston was the first city in the nation to pass a compensation plan, promising $10 million over ten years to black residents. The payments are meant to cover housing costs, Evanston Mayor Cynthia Vargas told the Chicago Tribune. (Getty Images)

“The good news about this case in Evanston is that it has stopped any other programs from being implemented, as people wait. It’s sad that money continues to be used illegally on racial lines,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton told Fox News Digital.

“I mean, they give money to people based on race. It is forbidden for them to receive this benefit because of the color of a person’s skin,” he said. “Government discrimination.”

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Restitution can take many forms but refers to payments or other compensation to the descendants of black Americans affected by slavery or discriminatory government policies.